Dynamic fit sleeve and independent lacing support cage for running footwear

ABSTRACT

A footwear and footwear construction method that creates the footwear upper sleeve (shoe upper) using at least two overlapping, layered panels of fabric oriented 90 degrees with respect to each other. A lacing system creates a support cage for the foot, which is independent from the footwear upper. The lacing support cage can be asymmetrical in several respects to accommodate the physically asymmetrical shape of the foot. The lacing system includes fingers independent from the footwear upper. The fingers then end in lace eyelets.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/356,460, filed Jun. 18, 2010, the entire disclosure of which ishereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

Seeking to provide every possible advantage to athletes, many footwearcompanies are trying to develop athletic footwear incorporatingtechnological advances using new fabrics, new construction methods, andhigh strength, low weight materials to meet the demands of athletes.Nevertheless, there still remains a desire to improve on the existingfootwear available in the market today.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This summary is not intended to identify key features ofthe claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid indetermining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In a first embodiment, a shoe is disclosed. The shoe includes a shoeupper having a forefoot area, a midfoot area, a medial quarter area, anda lateral quarter area, and a sole on the bottom of the shoe, whereinthe upper is formed from one or more fabric laminates, each fabriclaminate comprises two or more fabrics joined to each other, each fabricin the fabric laminate defines an orientation with respect to stretch,wherein the orientation of fabrics with respect to stretch in the fabriclaminate do not coincide.

In the first embodiment, two or more fabrics may be joined to each otherthroughout the whole of their contact area. Fabrics can be joined byadhesives, for example.

In the first embodiment, each of the forefoot, midfoot, medial quarter,and lateral quarter area may include one or more fabric laminates.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate is on the exterior of theshoe upper.

In the first embodiment, fabric laminates may include a first and secondwoven fabric.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate may include a first fabricwith warp and weft threads and a second fabric with warp and weftthreads, wherein the warp threads of the first fabric are aligned withthe weft threads of the second fabric.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate may include a similar firstand second fabric.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate may include a dissimilarfirst and second fabric.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate may include fabrics madefrom nylon and spandex.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate may include breathable,lightweight fabrics.

In the first embodiment, the upper may omit a tongue that is free on themedial and lateral sides thereof.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate may include a first fabrichaving a first direction of highest stretch and a second fabric having asecond direction of highest stretch, and the first and second directionsdo not coincide.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate may include a first fabrichaving a first direction of highest stretch and a second fabric having asecond direction of highest stretch, and the first and second directionsare perpendicular.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate may be formed by two ormore fabrics joined at major surfaces to each other.

The features described above may all be present in the shoe of the firstembodiment, or any combination of fewer than all features may be presentin the shoe. Furthermore, the shoe with any, some, or all featuresdescribed above may further include a lacing system, wherein the lacingsystem has a plurality of lacing fingers on the lateral side of theupper and a plurality of lacing fingers on the medial side of the upper,wherein the fingers comprise a lacing eyelet on one end thereof and arefree to move with respect to the upper at least partly along theirlength. Furthermore, any, some, or all of the features of the shoe ofthe first embodiment may be combined with any, some, or all of thefeatures of the shoe of the second embodiment.

In a second embodiment, a shoe is disclosed. The shoe according to asecond embodiment includes a shoe upper, wherein the upper defines acenterline dividing the upper into a medial side and a lateral side;sole joined to the shoe upper; and a lacing system comprising aplurality of lacing fingers extending on the lateral side of the upperand a plurality of lacing fingers extending on the medial side of theupper, wherein the fingers comprise a lacing eyelet on one end thereofand are independent from the shoe upper at least partly along theirlength.

In the second embodiment, the length of one or more fingers on themedial side can be shorter than the length of one or more fingers on thelateral side.

In the second embodiment, one or more fingers on the lateral side maycross the centerline into the medial side.

In the second embodiment, a forwardmost finger on the lateral side maybe placed further forward than a forwardmost finger on the medial side.

In the second embodiment, the shoe may further include a shoelace lacedthrough the eyelets in a zigzag pattern, and the lace defines a loop.

In the second embodiment, the shoe may further include a shoelace lacedthrough the eyelets in a zigzag pattern, and the lace includes a staticend secured on the upper, and a free end passing through a lockingmechanism.

In the second embodiment, two adjacent fingers may be joined to eachother at an upper portion.

In the second embodiment, the finger to finger distance at the eyeletson the lateral side can be different to the finger to finger distance atthe eyelets on the medial side.

In the second embodiment, a first finger to finger distance between anytwo fingers on a side can be different than a second finger to fingerdistance on the same side.

In the second embodiment, the lateral side may include the same numberof fingers as the medial side, and a length of one or more fingers onthe lateral side is greater than a length of a corresponding finger onmedial side.

In the second embodiment, one or more fingers are not joined to the shoeupper.

In the second embodiment, the shoe may further include a shoe upper,wherein the upper is formed from one or more fabric laminates, eachfabric laminate comprises two or more fabrics, and each fabric in thefabric laminate defines an orientation with respect to stretch, whereinthe orientation of fabrics with respect to stretch in the fabriclaminate do not coincide. Furthermore, any, some, or all of the featuresof the shoe of the first embodiment may be combined with any, some, orall of the features of the shoe of the second embodiment.

Shoe uppers and shoes of the first and second embodiments, having any,some, or all features, may be made by a process including obtaining afirst fabric and a second fabric, each fabric having a direction withhigher stretch in said direction, aligning the first fabric and thesecond fabric, wherein the direction of the second fabric with higherstretch does not coincide with the direction of higher stretch in thefirst fabric, joining the first and the second fabric together into afabric laminate, cutting one or more patterns from the fabric laminate,and assembling one or more patterns cut from the fabric laminate intothe shoe upper. The shoe upper may include at least one pattern cut fromthe fabric laminate being applied to a forefoot, a midfoot, a medialquarter, or a lateral quarter area of the upper. The shoe upper with aforefoot, a midfoot, a medial quarter, and a lateral quarter area mayinclude at least one fabric laminate, in any, some, or all areas.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of thisinvention will become more readily appreciated as the same become betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description, whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a construction method for a shoe upper andshoe;

FIG. 2A is a diagrammatical illustration of a first and second fabricwhich are oriented different to one another with respect to theirdirection of stretch;

FIG. 2B is a diagrammatical illustration of a fabric laminate with ashoe upper pattern marked on the fabric laminate;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view illustration of a shoe according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a lateral view illustration of the shoe of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a medial view illustration of the shoe of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a top view illustration of a shoe according to one embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a lateral view illustration of the shoe of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top view illustration of a shoe according to one embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a lateral view illustration of the shoe of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a medial view illustration of the shoe of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 11 is an exploded view illustration of portions of a shoe inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed is a footwear or shoe construction method to create a footwearupper sleeve (shoe upper) using fabric laminates made of twooverlapping, layered panels of fabric oriented 90 degrees with respectto each other.

Also disclosed is a lacing system that creates a support cage for thefoot which is independent from the footwear upper. The lacing supportcage can be asymmetrical in several respects to accommodate thephysically asymmetrical shape of the foot.

The disclosed shoe may eliminate the freely moving tongue portion of theshoe upper, thus making the shoe more comfortable. The disclosed shoemay allow for a wider range of feet to fit in the shoe while maintaininga secure fit. The lacing system support cage is advantageouslyasymmetrical in design to better work with the asymmetrical nature ofthe human foot. Freely moving fingers of the lacing support cage allowfor accommodating bones and nerves typically irritated by conventionalshoe portions. The shoe construction allows the shoe upper sleeve andthe lacing system cage to function independently of one another as theyare not fully connected.

Referring to FIG. 1, a method 1100 for making athletic shoes and shoeuppers is illustrated. While athletic shoes are mentioned as onerepresentative example of the invention, the method of forming upperscan be applied to non-athletic shoes, such as shoes for casual use, andalso for all footwear. In one embodiment, an athletic shoe ischaracterized as being lightweight and, thus, finds favor with athletesengaging in running or long endurance sports such as marathons andtriathlons.

Block 1102 indicates the start of a method of making a shoe upper andshoe. From block 1102, the method enters block 1104. In block 1104, twofabrics are obtained. The fabrics can be obtained in rolls or sheets.When unrolled and in sheets, the fabrics have major planar surfaces onboth sides. At least two fabrics are joined at their major surfaces toone another to make a fabric laminate. In one embodiment, the fabricscan be breathable to allow the evaporation of moisture generated by thefoot. Some fabrics are characterized as meshes, and these are acceptablebreathable fabrics that can be used. In one embodiment, the fabrics canbe lightweight fabrics, such that each fabric may have a fabric weightranging from approximately 310 to 320 grams per yard with a width of 60inches. While being representative of one embodiment, this range is notlimiting as to other embodiments, and some embodiments may use evenlighter fabrics, medium weight fabrics and heavy fabrics or anycombination thereof. The fabrics include threads made from one or moreof synthetic, semi-synthetic or natural fibers. Synthetic fibersinclude, but are not limited to, nylon fibers; polypropylene fibers;polystyrene fibers, polyurethane fibers, polyacrylic fibers, polyesterfibers, spandex fibers (a polyurethane polyurea copolymer), or anycombination thereof. Natural fibers include, but are not limited to,animal fibers, such as wool and silk; plant fibers, such as cotton,flax, and jute, or any combination thereof. Semi-synthetic fibersinclude, but are not limited to, rayon, lyocell, viscose rayon, or anycombination thereof. In one embodiment, the fabrics can be a combinationof various fibers, including synthetic fibers, natural fibers, orsemi-synthetic fibers. In one embodiment, the threads are made from acombination of synthetic fibers. A suitable combination of fibersincludes nylon and spandex fibers, and particularly approximately 79% byweight nylon and 21% by weight spandex. In one embodiment, two fabricsmay be the same weight and material. In other embodiments, two fabricsmay be different weight and the same material. In other embodiments, twofabrics may be the same weight and different material. In otherembodiments, two fabrics may be different weight and material. Onefabric may be dyed or include patterns, as one fabric will be theexterior of the shoe upper, and one fabric may not be dyed. Generally,the fabrics used in block 1104 are woven fabrics. In weaving, there isan orientation of threads named warp and weft threads. Generally, thethreads regarded as the weft threads run across the fabric from side toside, whereas the threads which run lengthwise are referred to as thewarp. Accordingly, for each fabric, there is an orientation in whichstretching and/or deformation of the fabric in one direction is morethan in the other direction. From Block 1104, the method enters block1106.

In block 1106, the fabrics are oriented such that their direction ofhighest stretch do not coincide with each other. In one embodiment, thefabrics are oriented such that their direction of lowest stretch do notcoincide with each other. In one embodiment, the fabrics are oriented90° with respect to each other, meaning that the direction of higheststretch of one fabric is 90° with respect to the direction of higheststretch of the fabric next to it. For example, when the warp threads runlengthwise in one fabric, the second fabric that is overlaid on top ofthe first fabric is oriented such that the warp threads run from side toside. In block 1106, one embodiment orients the at least two overlappingis fabrics at 90°. However, based on the fabric construction method,other fabrics may be oriented less than 90° depending on the directionof highest or lowest stretch direction of the fabrics. It is alsopossible that there can be more than two fabrics, in which case anyfabric does not have an orientation that coincides with any other fabricdirectly juxtaposed next to it. From block 1106, the method enters block1110

In block 1110, the dissimilarly oriented first and second fabrics arejoined with an adhesive compatible with the fabrics. As used herein a“fabric laminate” means any two or more fabrics joined together at theentire area in which they coincide. Suitable adhesives for synthetic,semi-synthetic and natural materials include, but are not limited to,silicone, latex, rubber, and the like. From block 1110, the methodenters block 1112.

In block 1112, the fabric laminate created in block 1110 is patternedand cut from the fabric laminate according to a shoe upper template.When the pattern is cut from the fabric laminate, the size of the firstfabric naturally coincides with a size of the second fabric. A shoeupper is a portion of a shoe that surrounds and supports the foot,except generally the foot sole. The upper can generally be divided intofour areas. These four areas include a forefoot portion to cover thetoes, a midfoot portion to cover the foot instep, and medial and lateralquarters that cover the sides of the foot to the heel. The upperincludes an opening that is bounded on the sides formed from midfootportion, and the medial and lateral side quarters. The medial andlateral quarters extend from the midfoot back and join each other at theheel. Lateral, as used herein, means toward the outside of the body,whereas, medial means toward the inside of the body. For example, a footarch is located on the medial side of both the right and left feet. Thefabric laminate can be used in all areas of the shoe upper, or less thanthe whole of the shoe upper. The fabric laminate can be the exterior ofthe shoe upper, except where there are reinforcing materials, such asaround the toes, heel, and arch. Such reinforcing materials can beleather, synthetic leather, canvas, heavyweight cloth, rubber,plasticized fabrics, reinforced fabrics, and the like. On the shoe upperand interior to the fabric laminate, there may be additional materialssuch as padding, foam, closed or open celled foam, additional moisturewicking fabrics, or moisture absorbing fabrics to draw moisture awayfrom the skin. These additional fabrics to the interior of the fabriclaminate are not part of the fabric laminate. In one embodiment, afabric laminate mimics a tongue portion of a shoe upper, however, unlikeconventional tongues that move freely at the sides, the is tongueportion of the upper disclosed herein is entirely stitched from thebottom of the tongue to the very top of the tongue on both sides, endingat the foot opening. This construction provides essentially a sleeve, ortube into which the foot is fitted, as there is no freely moving tongueportion. The entire shoe upper can be formed from one or more fabriclaminates, and additionally include other layers. Also, various designsfor tongues can be incorporated into the shoe upper. For example, thetongue can be a generally symmetrical tongue that extends from theforefoot portion of the upper to the foot opening. In this case, thetongue is secured on both sides to respective medial and lateral sidesof the shoe upper, such that the tongue does not separate from the shoeupper, unlike the more conventional tongues that are stitched at theforefoot portion and are not stitched along the sides, the tonguedisclosed herein is stitched at the forefoot portion and for theentirety of the sides from the forefoot to the foot opening. In oneembodiment, the tongue can be a small V-shaped portion covering a smallpart of the midfoot area. In this embodiment, too, the tongue is alsostitched or joined to the fabrics on both sides to prevent up and downmovement. Other designs of a shoe tongue are also within the scope ofthe invention.

From block 1112, the method enters block 1114. In block 1114, the shoeupper is constructed according to the templates for a particular styleof shoe. Shoes, while functional are also fashionable, therefore, therecan be an almost infinite number of patterns cut from the fabriclaminate to form the show upper. Each pattern cut from the fabriclaminate may cover an area of the forefoot, midfoot, medial quarter, orlateral quarter of the shoe upper. Each pattern cut from the fabriclaminate may cover more than one portion of one of the forefoot,midfoot, medial quarter, or lateral quarter of the shoe upper. Eachpattern cut from the fabric laminate may cover just one of the forefoot,midfoot, medial quarter, or lateral quarter of the shoe upper. Two ormore patterns cut from the fabric laminate may cover any one or more ofthe forefoot, midfoot, medial quarter, or lateral quarter of the shoeupper. The many combinations of combining patterns to form the shoeupper may be decided upon purely for function and fashion. For examples,some patterns may be cut, such that the exterior stitching creates apleasing appearance. Individual cut fabric laminate patterns may bejoined to one another by stitching, adhesives, or by utilizing anintermediate material that joins the two fabric laminate pieces to oneanother.

From block 1114, the method enters block 1116. In block 1116, the shoeis finished such as by joining the shoe upper to the shoe sole. Any oneof various shoe construction methods may be used at this point, forexample, an insole board may be stitched around the lower periphery ofthe shoe upper, and then the board is stitched or adhered to the sole,or an intermediate member that ultimately attaches to the sole. The solecan be a combination of closed cell foam rubber and solid flexiblerubber parts to provide cushioning as well as durability. Furthermore,the upper can be reinforced by providing a leather or rubberized toe boxextending over the forefoot of the upper. Additionally, a heel box maybe created at the back of the shoe to provide for support. Cushioningmaterials may be provided on the insole of the shoe and also in theinterior of the shoe upper. An arch support may also be added. Soft foampadding may be provided in areas, such the tongue, the heel, and aroundthe foot opening. In one embodiment of a shoe, a lacing support cage isadded for a lacing system. The lacing support cage is further describedbelow.

The shape, seam work, material, and construction of the shoe upper canchange as long as the shoe upper incorporates one or more fabriclaminates in the shoe upper.

The shoe and shoe upper construction method described herein achieves abiaxially oriented fabric laminate from at least two layers of bonded orlaminated fabric in a manner that allows full breathability. Theconstruction method forms a high level of compression yet allows for adynamic fit over a human foot. Dynamic refers to the ability toaccommodate changes in foot structure of individuals who share the samesize foot.

Referring to FIG. 2A, a simplified diagrammatical illustration of twofabrics is illustrated. A first fabric 1201 is superimposed over asecond fabric 1203. The first fabric 1201 includes warp threads 1202running lengthwise and weft threads 1200 running from side to side.Threads 1200 and 1202 can be the same or dissimilar fibers, such asnylon, polypropylene, polyurethane, spandex, and the like. Similarly,the second fabric 1203 includes warp fibers 1204 running lengthwise andweft threads 1206 running from side to side. Each of the fabrics 1201and 1203 possess an orientation with respect to highest stretch (orlowest stretch). For example, fabric 1201 may possess an orientation ofhighest stretch in the direction shown by double headed arrow 1208.Similarly, fabric 1203 includes an orientation of highest stretch (orlowest stretch) along is the direction denoted by double headed arrow1210. Fabric 1201 includes a major planar surface facing fabric 1203.Similarly, fabric 1203 includes a major surface facing fabric 1201. Anadhesive is applied to bond the entirety of surfaces of the fabrics 1201and 1203 facing one another. The adhesive can be silicone, latex, orrubber, and the like. In one embodiment, the adhesive is applied suchthat the fabrics remain breathable, i.e., allow moisture to pass throughfrom an exterior major side of one fabric to the exterior major side ofthe second fabric. The joined fabrics are call a fabric laminate.

As illustrated in FIG. 2A, the orientation of fabric 1201 does notcoincide with the orientation of fabric 1203. In one particularembodiment, the fabrics are aligned such that the orientation in thedirection of highest stretch of fabric 1201 is at 90° with respect tothe orientation of highest stretch of fabric 1203. In such orientation,the fabric 1201 is joined with fabric 1203 to produce a fabric laminate1212 diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 2B. Once a fabric laminate1212 is produced, the fabric laminate 1212 may be used as materials forconstruction of a shoe upper. For example, any part of the shoe uppercan be constructed from the fabric laminate. A shoe upper pattern, suchas pattern 1214 is cut from the fabric laminate 1212. Clearly, more thanone pattern can be cut from the fabric laminate 1212 to make a shoeupper. The fabric pattern 1214 is then used as a component infabricating shoe uppers, such as illustrated in FIGS. 3-10.

Using FIG. 3 as an example, the shoe uppers of FIGS. 3-10 include aforefoot area 50, a midfoot area 52, a medial side quarter 56, and alateral side quarter 54 on the opposite side to the medial side quarter56. These areas are present in all the shoe uppers of the embodimentsdisclosed herein. The forefoot area 50 generally covers the area of thetoes. The midfoot area 52 (as called the instep area) generally coversthe arched part of the upper from the end of the forefoot portion 50 tothe top of the shoe upper down the center. Each of the lateral quarterarea 54 or the medial quarter area 56 covers the side of the upper tothe center of the back of the heel. The midfoot area 52, the lateralquarter area 54 and the medial quarter area also define a periphery thatis the foot opening 42. Any pattern cut from the fabric laminate 212 maybe used to cover the forefoot area 50, the midfoot area 52, or themedial 56 or lateral 54 quarter area. Any pattern 1214 cut from thefabric laminate 1212 may be used to cover only a portion of the isabove-noted upper shoe areas. Alternatively, any pattern 1214 cut fromthe fabric laminate 1212 may be used to cover two or more of the generalareas of the shoe upper.

It should be appreciated that FIG. 2A is highly diagrammatical innature. More complex weaving patterns are capable of being used for thefabrics used in the construction of the fabric laminate 1212. In oneembodiment, a weave known as “warp knit mesh” is used for weaving thefabrics of the fabric laminate. Fabrics may be woven bycomputer-controlled weaving machines that are able to create much morecomplex fabrics. Nevertheless, even more complex woven fabrics tend topossess an orientation of highest stretch. Therefore, the methoddisclosed herein may use fabrics wherein a fabric laminate isconstructed such that the orientation of highest stretch of one fabricdoes not coincide with the orientation of highest stretch of a secondfabric. This produces a fabric laminate that provides better support bycombining two fabrics.

Furthermore, the fabrics need not be oriented with respect to thedirection of highest stretch. In other embodiments, the orientation ofthe first and second fabrics in a fabric laminate may be oriented suchthat the direction of lowest stretch does not coincide with one another.Furthermore, while the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2A shows a 90°orientation of the first fabric 1201 with respect to the second fabric1203, other fabric laminates can be oriented more than or less than 90°.

Embodiments of lacing support cages are illustrated in any one of FIGS.3 to 11. In one embodiment, the lacing support cage includes a pluralityof fingers on the medial side of the shoe upper and a plurality offingers on the lateral side of the shoe upper. Each of the fingers mayterminate at the upper end (shoe upper side) in an eyelet, whereas thelower end (the sole side) is anchored to the sole, the upper, or betweenthe sole and upper. For example, the lacing support cage may include aconnecting portion connecting the bottom of the medial fingers to thebottom of the lateral fingers. This connecting portion is then anchoredbetween two components, such as between the sole and the insole board.

While the fingers are attached at the sole, or at a bottom portion ofthe shoe upper, the fingers remain free and independently move to take aposition which best corresponds to the individual wearing the shoe. Insome embodiments, each finger can be stitched to the upper any distancefrom an insole board up to, but not including, the eyelet area. Thefeature of the fingers is that some length remains free and unattached.

The fingers can be made of a durable hard plastic reinforced with highfrequency welded thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or embossed syntheticleather. Each finger could be made with any material, textile, leather,or synthetic leather. A feature is that some level of independence andfreedom of movement is retained in each of the lacing fingers. Thisadvantageously provides an independent lacing support cage and allowsreducing pressure on the foot while maintaining a secure fit.

For eyelets, any number of devices may be used. Eyelets may be loopsformed from resilient fabrics or synthetic leather, metal hooks,sheaves, drums, or a combination of metal and fabric, or the simplepunched eyelets.

The shoelace is provided in a zigzag pattern through the eyelets. Azigzag pattern denotes a lace that crosses the centerline of the shoebetween a lateral eyelet to a medial eyelet and back to a lateral eyeletone or more times. In some embodiment, the shoelace can be threaded onboth sides of the eyelet row. For example, a shoe lace is threadedthrough the bottom two eyelets, such that the center of the shoelace isapproximately at the centerline of the shoe. This creates two portionsof shoelace, and each portion is threaded alternately threaded throughthe eyelets on one side then the other. In this case, the two portionsof shoelace crisscross one another. The lace can be a loop and tied atthe ends as illustrated in FIG. 3, or the lace may have one end securedto a bottom eyelet and a freely moving end passing through a lockingmechanism, as illustrated in FIG. 8. To tighten the lace, a user pullsthe shoelace through the locking mechanism. A locking mechanism can aspring loaded lock. In one embodiment, a locking mechanism includes acup-shaped body. The body has a slot through which one or both ends ofthe shoelace pass. The body includes a spring that presses a brakeagainst the shoelace on one side thereof. The brake then presses theshoelace against one side of the slot, thus preventing the shoelace fromslipping in or out of the locking mechanism. A user may simply pull onthe shoelace and the shoelace is held by the brake. To release thebrake, the cup-shaped body includes a button on the side of the slotopposite to the brake. When the button is depressed, it pushes the brakeaway from the shoelace and against the spring, thus, releasing theshoelace. Shoelaces may be elastic or inelastic cords, and the like.

In some embodiments, the lacing fingers are asymmetrical in one or morerespects. Several ways in which the lacing support cage can byasymmetrical are is described below. Asymmetry of the lacing system is afunction of the foot also not being symmetrical. The independent, freelymoving fingers and eyelets accommodate each individual foot so that thefingers align to provide directional stability. These adjustments leadto an asymmetrical lacing system that is independent at least partlyfrom the shoe upper.

Unlike conventional shoes that have medial and lateral eyelet rows beinggenerally straight on a line when viewed from a top plan view, in oneembodiment of a lacing system, an eyelet row defines a curve when viewfrom a top plan view. The eyelet row does not define a line, but ratherthe eyelet row defines a curve, i.e., if a line were drawn between eacheyelet at the end of a finger, the line would describe a curve whenviewed from a top plan view.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8-10, a shoelace 220 is alternatelythreaded through a medial eyelet, then a lateral eyelet, and back towarda medial outlet, without a corresponding lace portion on the oppositeside. In other words, the lace system shown in FIGS. 8-10 does notinclude lacing portions that crisscross one another as they pass fromone eyelet on one side to an eyelet on the opposite side. Instead, asingle shoelace portion 220 is fixed at one end to an eyelet 210 at theforefoot area and zigzags alternately from medial to lateral eyelets,and the other end of the shoelace is attached to the shoe upper at thelateral quarter via a locking mechanism 232 to allow tensioning of theshoelace.

As shown in FIG. 3, a shoe in accordance with one embodiment of theinvention comprises a shoe upper formed from at least two or morepatterns or panels of a fabric laminate 2, 4 and 5 that omits theconventional freely moving tongue portion of the shoe upper. The fabriclaminate 2 covers the forefoot area 50, the midfoot area 52, and thelateral quarter area 54. The fabric laminate 4 covers the midfoot area52 and the medial quarter area 56. The fabric laminate 5 covers themidfoot area 5. The fabric laminate 2 includes a stitch line 46 toconnect fabric laminate 2 with fabric laminates 4, and 5. The fabricatelaminate 4 includes a stitch line 48 to connect the fabric laminate 4with the fabric laminate 5. While one representative example of howfabric laminates can be used to form a shoe upper, it is to beappreciated that the fabric laminate panels can be cut into manydifferent shapes other than the particular ones shown in FIG. 3. Asdescribed in detail above, the fabric laminates used in making the shoeupper may have two or more overlapping and adhered fabrics, such thatthe fabrics in the laminate have an orientation dissimilar to eachother. For example, weaving methods result in a first set of threads inone direction and a second set of threads generally perpendicular to thefirst set of threads. When two fabrics are assembled into a fabriclaminate, the threads of one fabric are placed perpendicular to the samethreads on the second fabric. The fabric laminates can thus havedifferent stretch properties than the individual fabrics owing to thebonding of two or more fabrics in a dissimilar orientation throughoutthe whole of their surfaces in contact with each other. Further, becausethe patterns are cut from the fabric laminate, the fabrics that make upthe fabric laminate of a pattern are each of the same size of everyother fabric in the pattern. In one embodiment, a shoe upper can includemore than one panels of fabric laminates, wherein the fabric laminateincludes two layered fabrics one on top of another one, and oriented 90degrees to one another with respect to one set of threads. The fabricsmay also be oriented with respect to a stretch property. For example,the highest (or lowest) stretch direction of one fabric is placed at 90°with respect to the corresponding highest (or lowest) stretch directionof a second fabric. The fabrics are then bonded and/or laminatedtogether over the entire area of contact in a manner that allows fullbreathability between and across the two layers. In other embodiments,the orientation can be greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degreeswith respect to one another. The athletic shoe construction in thepresent invention aligns the fabric panels in such a manner to best takeadvantage of the stretch properties of the fabrics to further supportthe body part being clothed. This construction forms a high level ofcompression yet allows for a dynamic fit over the human foot.

Also shown in FIG. 3 is a lacing support cage 6 incorporated with theshoe upper formed with the fabric laminates 2, 4, and 5. The lacingsupport cage 6 includes a lateral set of fingers 8, 10, 12, 14 (bestseen in FIG. 4) and a medial set of fingers 16, 18, 20, and 22 (bestseen in FIG. 5). As shown in FIG. 3, the shoe upper is defined by acenter line 24 that runs from the back of the heel to the tip of thetoe. Each one of the fingers extends from the shoe sole to an area thatdoes not quite reach the center line 24. The top end of each fingerincludes an eyelet for passing a lace therethrough. Lateral fingers 8,10, 12, and 14 include eyelets 24, 26, and 28. The eyelets 24, 26, and28 form an eyelet row on the lateral side of the upper. Medial fingers16, 18, 20, and 22, include eyelets 30, 32, and 34. The eyelets 30, 32and 34 form an eyelet row on the medial side of the upper. As can beseen in FIG. 3, the medial side fingers are asymmetrical with thelateral side fingers. More specifically, as can be noted, the medialside fingers34, 32, and 30 are placed further forward than thecorresponding lateral side fingers 28, 26, and 24 resulting in firstmedial eyelet 30 being placed further forward than first lateral eyelet24. The second medial eyelet 32 is placed further forward as compared tothe second lateral eyelet 26. The third medial eyelet 34 is placedfurther forward as compared to the third lateral eyelet 28. However, thedistance from eyelet to eyelet on the same side can stay approximatelythe same. A greater distance can separate the third pair of medial andlateral eyelets 34, 28 as compared to the distance between the firstpair of medial and lateral eyelets 30, 24. Also, while the medial andlateral fingers number four each, the medial third 20 and fourth 22finger is arranged into an “A-type” structure, meaning the third 20 andfourth 22 fingers are joined at the top in the proximity of the eyelet.This can be done to avoid putting a finger directly over a bonyprominence of the foot. The lateral side second finger 10 and thirdfinger 12 are also arranged into an “A-type” structure.

In other embodiments of the shoe, the eyelets can be placed nearer to orfurther from the center line 24. Also, other embodiments may include anA-type structure using the first and second fingers, or one side mayinclude two A-type structures arranged from the first and second fingersfor one, and from the third and fourth fingers for the other.Alternatively, all fingers on the medial and lateral sides can use asingle finger “I” structure. A single lace 44 is generally centeredthrough the two eyelets 34 and 28 creating two shoelace portions thatare passed alternately from the medial side to the lateral side for oneportion, and vice versa for the second portion as shown in FIG. 3. Alace system described above forms an asymmetrical support cage that canreduce the pressure on the foot while providing a secure fit.

A feature of the disclosed lacing system is that the fingers areindependent of the shoe upper for at least a portion of the length ofthe fingers. In one embodiment, the fingers are not stitched to the shoeupper, providing up to 100% of the finger length above the sole boardstitch-free and independent from the shoe upper. In other embodiments,up to 90% or greater, but less than 100%, of the length of each fingercan be stitched or otherwise attached to the footwear upper to provideat least some independence. In the disclosed embodiments, at least someamount of independence for moving freely is allowed between the fingersof the lacing system and the shoe upper.

Also as seen in FIG. 8, some fingers, such as 210 can be very short andessentially be an eyelet portion. In some embodiments, each of thefingers on both the lateral side and the medial side of the upper can bevery short and basically only exists as eyelets. However, even with thevery short finger and eyelet 210 illustrated in FIG. 8, the finger(eyelet) remains independent and moves freely with respect to the shoeupper.

Each finger on the lacing system support cage can be, but is notrequired to be, supported further with high-frequency weldedthermoplastic urethane (TPU) or embossed in synthetic leather. Eachfinger could be made with any material, textile, leather, or syntheticleather. Each finger can be stitched down any distance from the insoleboard up to, but not including, the eyelet area. In terms of length,this is approximately 60% to 70% of the finger length. Thus, some levelof independence is retained in the lace system and the support shoeupper.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, an asymmetrical nature of the lacing systemcage is seen wherein medial side fingers are further forward than thelateral side fingers. A further asymmetrical aspect may be added byhaving a different distance between the first 34 and second 32 eyeletson the same side as compared to the distance between the second 32 andthird 30 eyelets on that side. Alternatively, the distance between thefirst and second fingers on both the medial and lateral side can beshorter or longer than the distance between the second and third fingerson the same side. Further, the independent nature of the fingers, allowsthe fingers to freely align in the direction of pull.

FIGS. 6, and 7 show an embodiment of a shoe having a lacing system withfour fingers on the medial side and the lateral side, where none of thefingers are joined into an “A-type” structure. As can be seen in FIG. 6,the lacing system achieves asymmetry by having the lateral side fingers102, 104, 106, and 108 further forward than the corresponding medialside fingers 110, 112, 114, and 116, which is opposite from that of theembodiment of FIGS. 3-5 that has the medial side fingers further forwardthan the lateral side fingers. The lateral fingers 102, 104, 106, and108, and the medial fingers 110, 112, 114, and 116 in this embodimentalso have some degree of independence from the shoe upper. Similar tothe embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, the shoe of FIGS. 6, and 7 isformed form one or more fabric laminates for the forefoot area, themidfoot area, the lateral quarter area and the medial quarter area.Illustrated in this embodiment is a “tongue” 120 formed from a fabriclaminate 120. The fabric laminate 120 is joined to the correspondingsides of the upper on both the medial and the lateral sides and, thus,is not freely movable as a conventional tongue. The shoelace 122crisscrosses the tongue 120 with a lateral and medial shoelace portionsthat terminate at the upper ends 128, and 124 of the correspondingeyelet rows. The shoelace 122 may be elastic and joined to the eyelets128 and 124 such that the need to tie and untie the shoelace 122 isavoided.

Referring to FIGS. 8, 9, and 10, another embodiment of a shoe isillustrated. In the embodiment of FIGS. 8-10, another example ofasymmetry of the lacing system is shown. In this embodiment, the medialside includes five fingers 202, 204, 206, and 208, whereas the lateralside includes four fingers 212, 214, 216, and 218. Further, it ispossible that one or more of the lateral side fingers extend to and evencross the center line 224 along the longitudinal direction of the topportion of shoe. As seen in FIG. 8, the asymmetry of the eyelet rows isshown by the eyelet row curving in the direction toward the medial sideof the shoe. The eyelet row on the medial side created by fingers 202,204, 206, and 208 appears to be concave toward the center, wherein theeyelet row on the lateral side created by fingers 212, 214, 216, and 218appears to be convex toward the center. However, both eyelet rows can beconcave toward the center, or convex toward the center, or one concave,and one convex. As seen in FIG. 9, the lateral side fingers 214, 216,and 218 extend to at least the top outline of the shoe, and in FIG. 10,the lateral side fingers 218 and 216 are seen in the medial side viewillustration, and the medial side fingers 202, 204, 206, and 208 do notextend to the top outline of the shoe. The fingers in this embodimentalso have some degree of independence from the shoe upper. Also, similarto the upper shown in FIG. 3, the upper shown in FIG. 8 includes afabric laminate 222 extending over the forefoot area, the midfoot area,and the lateral quarter area. The fabric laminate 226 extends over themidfoot area, and the medial quarter area. The fabric laminate 230extends over the midfoot area. The fabric laminates 222, 226, and 230also define the foot opening 228.

FIG. 11 shows a representative illustration of a construction of theshoe sole and lacing support cage 300, with fingers 302, 304, 306, and308. The fingers 302, 304, 306, and 308 can be made from a single pieceof thermoplastic rubber 314, wherein a lower and center portion of thethermoplastic rubber 314 is placed between a top sole portion 310 and abottom sole portion 312. The sole 312 is a compression molded sole withrubber outsole on the bottom thereof. It is to be appreciated that theshoe sole 310 and 312 is combinable with the shoe uppers and lacingsupport cages shown and described in association with FIGS. 3-10.

Several embodiments of a shoe in accordance with the above descriptionare described.

In a first embodiment, a shoe includes a shoe upper having a forefootarea, a midfoot area, a medial quarter area, and a lateral quarter area,and a sole on the bottom of the shoe, wherein the upper is formed fromone or more fabric laminates, each fabric laminate comprises two or morefabrics joined to each other, each fabric in the fabric laminate definesan orientation with respect to stretch, wherein the orientation offabrics with respect to stretch in the fabric laminate do not coincide.

In the first embodiment, two or more fabrics may be joined to each otherthroughout the whole of their contact area. Fabrics can be joined byadhesives, for example.

In the first embodiment, each of the forefoot, midfoot, medial quarter,and lateral quarter area may include one or more fabric laminates.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate is on the exterior of theshoe upper.

In the first embodiment, fabric laminates may include a first and secondwoven fabric.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate may include a first fabricwith warp and weft threads and a second fabric with warp and weftthreads, wherein the warp threads of the first fabric are aligned withthe weft threads of the second fabric.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate may include a similar firstand second fabric.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate may include a dissimilarfirst and second fabric.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate may include fabrics madefrom nylon and spandex.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate may include breathable,lightweight fabrics.

In the first embodiment, the upper may omit a tongue that is free on themedial and lateral sides thereof.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate may include a first fabrichaving a first direction of highest stretch and a second fabric having asecond direction of highest stretch, and the first and second directionsdo not coincide.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate may include a first fabrichaving a first direction of highest stretch and a second fabric having asecond direction of highest stretch, and the first and second directionsare perpendicular.

In the first embodiment, the fabric laminate may be formed by two ormore fabrics joined at major surfaces to each other.

The features described above may all be present in the shoe of the firstembodiment, or any combination of fewer than all features may be presentin the shoe. Furthermore, the shoe with any, some, or all featuresdescribed above, may further include a lacing system, wherein the lacingsystem has a plurality of lacing fingers on the lateral side of theupper and a plurality of lacing fingers on the medial side of the upper,wherein the fingers comprise a lacing eyelet on one end thereof and arefree to move with respect to the upper at least partly along theirlength. Furthermore, any, some, or all of the features of the shoe ofthe first embodiment may be combined with any, some, or all of thefeatures of the shoe of the second embodiment.

In a second embodiment, a shoe is disclosed. The shoe according to asecond embodiment includes a shoe upper, wherein the upper defines acenterline dividing the upper into a medial side and a lateral side;sole joined to the shoe upper; and a lacing system comprising aplurality of lacing fingers extending on the lateral side of the upperand a plurality of lacing fingers extending on the medial side of theupper, wherein the fingers comprise a lacing eyelet on one end thereofand are independent from the shoe upper at least partly along theirlength.

In the second embodiment, the length of one or more fingers on themedial side can be shorter than the length of one or more fingers on thelateral side.

In the second embodiment, one or more fingers on the lateral side maycross the centerline into the medial side.

In the second embodiment, a forwardmost finger on the lateral side maybe placed further forward than a forwardmost finger on the medial side.

In the second embodiment, the shoe may further include a shoelace lacedthrough the eyelets in a zigzag pattern, and the lace defines a loop.

In the second embodiment, the shoe may further include a shoelace lacedthrough the eyelets in a zigzag pattern, and the lace includes a staticend secured on the upper, and a free end passing through a lockingmechanism.

In the second embodiment, two adjacent fingers may be joined to eachother at an upper portion.

In the second embodiment, the finger to finger distance at the eyeletson the lateral side can be different to the finger to finger distance atthe eyelets on the medial side.

In the second embodiment, a first finger to finger distance between anytwo fingers on a side can be different than a second finger to fingerdistance on the same side.

In the second embodiment, the lateral side may include the same numberof fingers as the medial side, and a length of one or more fingers onthe lateral side is greater than a length of a corresponding finger onmedial side.

In the second embodiment, one or more fingers are not joined to the shoeupper.

In the second embodiment, the shoe may further include a shoe upper,wherein the upper is formed from one or more fabric laminates, eachfabric laminate comprises two or more fabrics, and each fabric in thefabric laminate defines an orientation with respect to stretch, whereinthe orientation of fabrics with respect to stretch in the fabriclaminate do not coincide. Furthermore, any, some, or all of the featuresof the shoe of the first embodiment may be combined with any, some, orall of the features of the shoe of the second embodiment.

Shoe uppers and shoes of the first and second embodiments, having any,some, or all features, may be made by a process including obtaining afirst fabric and a second fabric, each fabric having a direction withhigher stretch in said direction, aligning the first fabric and thesecond fabric, wherein the direction of the second fabric with higherstretch does not coincide with the direction of higher stretch in thefirst fabric, joining the first and the second fabric together into afabric laminate, cutting one or more patterns from the fabric laminate,and assembling one or more patterns cut from the fabric laminate intothe shoe upper. The shoe upper may include at least one pattern cut fromthe fabric laminate being applied to a forefoot, a midfoot, a medialquarter, or a lateral quarter area of the upper. The shoe upper with aforefoot, a midfoot, a medial quarter, and a lateral quarter area mayinclude at least one fabric laminate, in any, some, or all areas.

While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described, itwill be appreciated that various changes can be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A shoe, comprising: a shoe upper having a forefoot area, a midfootarea, a medial quarter area, and a lateral quarter area, and a sole onthe bottom of the shoe, wherein the upper is formed from one or morefabric laminates, each fabric laminate comprises two or more fabricsjoined to each other, each fabric in the fabric laminate defines anorientation with respect to stretch, wherein the orientation of fabricswith respect to stretch in the fabric laminate do not coincide.
 2. Theshow of claim 1, wherein the two or more fabrics are joined to eachother throughout the whole of their contact area.
 3. The shoe of claim1, wherein each of the forefoot, midfoot, medial quarter, and lateralquarter area includes one or more fabric laminates.
 4. The shoe of claim1, wherein the fabric laminate is on the exterior of the shoe upper. 5.The shoe of claim 1, wherein the fabric laminates includes a first andsecond woven fabric.
 6. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the fabric laminateincludes a first fabric with warp and weft threads and a second fabricwith warp and weft threads, wherein the warp threads of the first fabricare aligned with the weft threads of the second fabric.
 7. The shoe ofclaim 1, wherein the fabric laminate includes a similar first and secondfabric.
 8. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the fabric laminate includes adissimilar first and second fabric.
 9. The shoe of claim 1, wherein thefabric laminate includes fabrics made from nylon and spandex.
 10. Theshoe of claim 1, wherein the fabric laminate includes breathable,lightweight fabrics.
 11. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the upper does notinclude a tongue that is free on the medial and lateral sides thereof.12. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the fabric laminate includes a firstfabric having a first direction of highest stretch and a second fabrichaving a second direction of highest stretch, and the first and seconddirections do not coincide.
 13. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the fabriclaminate includes a first fabric having a first direction of higheststretch and a second fabric having a second direction of higheststretch, and the first and second directions are perpendicular.
 14. Theshoe of claim 1, wherein the fabric laminate is formed by two or morefabrics joined at major surfaces to each other.
 15. The shoe of claim 1,further comprising a lacing system comprising a plurality of lacingfingers on the lateral side of the upper and a plurality of lacingfingers on the medial side of the upper, wherein the fingers comprise alacing eyelet on one end thereof and are free to move with respect tothe upper at least partly along their length.
 16. A shoe, comprising: ashoe upper, wherein the upper defines a centerline dividing the upperinto a medial side and a lateral side; a sole joined to the shoe upper;and a lacing system comprising a plurality of lacing fingers extendingon the lateral side of the upper and a plurality of lacing fingersextending on the medial side of the upper, wherein the fingers comprisea lacing eyelet on one end thereof and are independent from the shoeupper at least partly along their length.
 17. The shoe of claim 16,wherein the length of one or more fingers on the medial side is shorterthan the length of one or more fingers on the lateral side.
 18. The shoeof claim 16, wherein one or more fingers on the lateral side cross thecenterline into the medial side.
 19. The shoe of claim 16, wherein aforwardmost finger on the lateral side is placed further forward than aforwardmost finger on the medial side.
 20. The shoe of claim 16, furthercomprising a shoelace laced through the eyelets in a zigzag pattern, andthe lace defines a loop.
 21. The shoe of claim 16, further comprising ashoelace laced through the eyelets in a zigzag pattern, and the laceincludes a static end secured on the upper, and a free end passingthrough a locking mechanism.
 22. The shoe of claim 16, wherein twoadjacent fingers are joined to each other at an upper portion.
 23. Theshoe of claim 16, wherein the finger to finger distance at the eyeletson the lateral side is different to the finger to finger distance at theeyelets on the medial side.
 24. The shoe of claim 16, wherein a firstfinger to finger distance between any two fingers on a side is differentthan a second finger to finger distance on the same side.
 25. The shoeof claim 16, wherein the lateral side includes the same number offingers as the medial side, and a length of one or more fingers on thelateral side is greater than a length of a corresponding finger onmedial side.
 26. The shoe of claim 16, wherein one or more fingers arenot joined to the shoe upper.
 27. The shoe of claim 16, furthercomprising a shoe upper, wherein the upper is formed from one or morefabric laminates, each fabric laminate comprises two or more fabrics,and each fabric in the fabric laminate defines an orientation withrespect to stretch, wherein the orientation of fabrics with respect tostretch in the fabric laminate do not coincide.
 28. A shoe upper made bythe process, comprising: obtaining a first fabric and a second fabric,each fabric having a direction with higher stretch in said direction;aligning the first fabric and the second fabric, wherein the directionof the second fabric with higher stretch does not coincide with thedirection of higher stretch in the first fabric; joining the first andthe second fabric together into a fabric laminate; cutting one or morepatterns from the fabric laminate; and assembling one or more patternscut from the fabric laminate into the shoe upper.
 29. The shoe upper ofclaim 28, wherein at least one pattern cut from the fabric laminate isapplied to a forefoot, a midfoot, a medial quarter, or a lateral quarterarea of the upper.
 30. The shoe upper of claim 28, wherein the shoeupper includes a forefoot, a midfoot, a medial quarter, and a lateralquarter area including a fabric laminate.